My wife really liked my dads bolt action 17HMR. It was an older wood stock gun, no idea the manufacturer.

I'd like to get her an older 17HMR or 22LR bolt action she can play with. Something that I can easily mount a scope on.

Ruger 77/22?

The Sako Quad is a switch barrel rifle that allows you to change between 17 and 22. I have a Quad Varmint and a Quad Range and both are very accurate.

I'd go CZ 457 but to provide full disclosure, there may be a small amount of bias involved.

The CZ for for classic styling and fantastic trigger pull.
Only caveat is it's a 5 round magazine.


The 77/17 is a fine rifle. Expensive, but fine. It has a grown up forged receiver, bolt and trigger.

I have a 77/22 that I got new in 1993 and it's my absolute favorite rifle of everything I own. 77/22's are commanding a premium now as they have been out of production for some time now.

I tested a pile of bolt action .22 caliber rifles before I settled on the Ruger American Rimfire.

The action is smooth, the trigger is settable down to 3lbs and the Ruger standard 10 round magazine that you can get anywhere. It can be had with several barrel options, which I chose the threaded 16" as the platform for my thermal sight and suppressor.

It does have a polymer stock, which makes it rugged and light, but doesn't have that classic charm. However, I use this rifle in the brush a lot and a wooden stock would get beat up.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
The CZ for for classic styling and fantastic trigger pull.
Only caveat is it's a 5 round magazine.


The 77/17 is a fine rifle. Expensive, but fine. It has a grown up forged receiver, bolt and trigger.

I have a 77/22 that I got new in 1993 and it's my absolute favorite rifle of everything I own. 77/22's are commanding a premium now as they have been out of production for some time now.

I tested a pile of bolt action .22 caliber rifles before I settled on the Ruger American Rimfire.

The action is smooth, the trigger is settable down to 3lbs and the Ruger standard 10 round magazine that you can get anywhere. It can be had with several barrel options, which I chose the threaded 16" as the platform for my thermal sight and suppressor.

It does have a polymer stock, which makes it rugged and light, but doesn't have that classic charm. However, I use this rifle in the brush a lot and a wooden stock would get beat up.

Appreciate it, Mars.

Does the American fit into other Ruger wood stocks that you know of?

I can get a 77/22 with a Leupold 6x scope for 1K right now. Doesn't seem like a bad price, but also about twice what I wanted to spend.

Note that none of this is a recommendation about what to buy, merely personal observations.

When the Ruger 77/22 was first introduced my reaction was, “Finally: An adult’s 22LR rifle!” I was probably wrong that it was the first and/or only, but being a Ruger bolt action rifle fan, I couldn’t wait to get one, and did in 1984. At the time they came with plastic butt plates, which I didn’t like and found a ’smith who was able to swap it for a rubber plate taken off a Ruger centerfire. Although I’ve gotten and gotten rid of a lot of guns over the years, that is one my heirs will have to deal with.

That original 77/22 is as classic as possible with its walnut stock and blued steel. It has the proprietary Ruger scope mounting system which can’t be simpler for mounting a sight. But because the ring positions are fixed, scope positioning and the types of scopes that can be mounted are more limited than something that uses the more modern Picatinny rail. When I wanted to upgrade my much newer “All Weather” model 77/22 for precision shooting I had to get an adapter Pic rail that fit the Ruger system. The Leupold 2-7× scope on the original rifle, though, is about perfect for my needs with that gun.

I have long thought about getting a rifle chambered in 17 HMR, even to the point of considering another Tikka T1x to match the 22 Long Rifle version that gets shot every few days when possible. I even have a spare Nightforce scope that would be perfect for another T1x. But I can’t get past the realization that it wouldn’t do anything for me that the 22LR doesn’t do because I don’t hunt and don’t need the 17’s higher velocities and flatter trajectory.

Although premium 22LR ammunition can be very expensive (I once paid $35 for 50 rounds ), at the realistic level the 17 stuff is quite a bit more pricey than 22. And one thing that oddly seems to be ignored in discussions about the 17 is the need to clean the bore to maintain its precision.

I literally go through thousands of rounds of 22LR without cleaning the guns, and don’t see any difference in precision/accuracy at my level which includes small targets at 50 yards. That’s not necessarily true of the people who shoot in top level competitions, but I appreciate being able to finish up a long session by just putting the rifle away and not be thinking, “Now it needs to be cleaned.” From what little I’ve been able to find, it seems that people are much more likely to recommend cleaning 17 HMR bores.

Best for finding something suitable. Bolt action 22s are some of the most fun guns available, and nothing encourages good practical marksmanship more than they do.

If she really liked that one, can you find out what it was? Then maybe you can just get her one of those in .22LR to make feeding it easier.

Or make your dad an offer. I also realize you didn't put a timeframe on her experience with the rifle, so I'm assuming your dad is still around and owns the rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
If she really liked that one, can you find out what it was? Then maybe you can just get her one of those in .22LR to make feeding it easier.

Or make your dad an offer. I also realize you didn't put a timeframe on her experience with the rifle, so I'm assuming your dad is still around and owns the rifle.

He passed away last January. Passed the gun on to his sister. After what happened after his death I have no contact with that side of the family.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:

He passed away last January. Passed the gun on to his sister. After what happened after his death I have no contact with that side of the family.

Damn.

Sorry, that sucks.

I have a Ruger American Target in .22LR. Nice trigger, nice stock, and it's threaded for a can. I don't know about stock swapping, never felt the need. I paid about $450 for it, 6 years ago.

I have a laminate stock Savage 93 in 17HMR that's pretty sweet. Really good trigger for what it is. Bought it decades ago when the dicks at Dicks still sold firearms.

https://palmettostatearmory.co...6&utm_content=775141

I copied this from the post above yours.
I would jump on this rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
I would jump on this rifle.

Indeed, but evidently now out of stock.

I have to throw my vote in for a classic Browning T-Bolt. I don't currently own one but am always on the lookout to pair with my SA-22 and BL-22.

They are expensive, but awesome.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
I would jump on this rifle.

Indeed, but evidently now out of stock.

Got an email from PSA at 2:30 pm that they are in stock. Tempting if I didn't already have a 513 Basic and 452-2E ZKM. The 10 round metal mags are pricey though. If you can ever find a Marlin 981T or 925, they are great also but probably not as cheap or plentiful as they once were.

I only have experience with two bolt-action .22LR rifles.

I'd wanted a Anschutz M-54 since I was 18 but could never afford one until retirement...so I splurged a bit. Figured if I was basically getting my grail .22LR bolt gun there wasn't a reason to settle for the M-164 action...which is very popular with local South-East Asian squirrel hunters.

I got an Anschutz M-1712 Silhouette and topped it with the .22LR Leupold 2-7x scope. It has been a dream and one to pass down. I got it just before a price increase about 20 years ago and had to catch my breath at $1400. I looked recently, and they are now over $2500

Going for a more budget bolt-action I went with a CZ 452 American which I shot at an Appleseed class. It had a very traditional look and feel, but I guess it is now out of production.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSentry:
Tempting if ....

Yes, if ....
Must. Not. Want!

quote:

Originally posted by SigSentry:

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
I would jump on this rifle.

Indeed, but evidently now out of stock.

Got an email from PSA at 2:30 pm that they are in stock. Tempting if I didn't already have a 513 Basic and 452-2E ZKM. The 10 round metal mags are pricey though. If you can ever find a Marlin 981T or 925, they are great also but probably not as cheap or plentiful as they once were.

Tempting for me too - if I didn't have a couple 10/22s which can shoot dimes all day long at 75 yards (just built up one for my wife)

I do have a Marlin (?) 22mag bolt action which I need to get a scope on and sight it in though

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
Ruger 77/22?

I love my 77/22. It was cheap back in the day, still cheap to spend an afternoon with, and straight-up reliable.

A CZ 457 has been mentioned, too. I’ve gotten a few afternoons with a suppressed 457 AT-One, and can’t say a thing bad about it. A beautiful gun.

- - - - - -

ETA: the CZ that armored pointed out does appear to be back in stock right now.

And our pal Greg Cote stocks a variety of CZ magazines.

among the rifles that are in production the CZ is the one you want assuming the money is OK. a cheap well cared for 77/22 is a joy to own but it won't be cheap and the aftermarket if you need it simply doesn't exist.
Get the CZ.
If that's out of funds range get the ruger.
j